Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 06/24/2008 Run time: 101 minutes Rating: Pg
A very good adaptation of the popular series of books by Tony DiTerllizi and Holly Black, The Spiderwick Chronicles is one of the few family films in recent years to seamlessly integrate magical elements with a potent drama that will strike a chord with many kids. An exceptionally talented Freddie Highmore (August Rush) plays twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, caught up in a sad shock from their parents' divorce and coping with a decision by their mother (Mary-Louise Parker) to uproot the boys and their sister, Mallory (Sarah Bolger), from New York City to a small town. There, the broken family moves into a spooky old mansion passed on to them by the kids' great-aunt, Lucinda (Joan Plowright), who is spending her twilight years in managed care and whose scientist father, Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), disappeared some 80 years ago. Jared, angry, defiant, and determined to live with the father who seems to have abandoned him, investigates strange happenings and discovers Arthur's secret notations on fairies, ogres, and other mythical creatures that live both in and outside the house. Having no idea where his curiosity is leading, Jared soon finds that he and his family are under siege from goblins and a powerful ogre (Nick Nolte) who wants Arthur's notebook. Suddenly, the boy who is a lightning rod for a troubled family becomes a resourceful warrior intent on saving his loved ones from powerful forces. The Spiderwick Chronicles benefits enormously from a script (partially written by John Sayles) that treats, quite seriously, the emotional pain of its human characters and makes Jared's will to survive the very real engine of an otherwise fantastic story. It helps, too, that director Mark Waters, who brings a warm and knowing touch to outlandish material (Freaky Friday), has a way of making the spectacular elements of The Spiderwick Chronicles genuine enough to stir real excitement and suspense. This is one of the better film adaptations of best-selling fiction for kids in some years. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Special-Effects Are Highlight Of This Involving Tale:
This is another of those fantasy films that serves its purpose in that it entertains the viewer, no matter what the age. It's not among the elite in its genre, but it is a story that hooks you in by the 20-minute mark and you just go along for the ride, mainly to see how things will turn out. There is good suspense in here, enough to make adults care about what happens, not just kids. There also are some scary scenes that are probably too much for small kids, but fine for teens on up. In all, you get a... more info
an excellent movie:
I ordered this movie on the advice of a Swiss friend. I loved it from the first moment and have been lending out my copy to all of my friends. I can't recommend this movie highly enough.
For kids of all ages...:
I didn't read the books, but I would think this is an excellent adaptation, just under 2 hours long, which doesn't waste a minute to get the action going. Very clever foray into the world of goblins, fairies & ogres, I was consistantly entertained. Kids will certainly enjoy it, too.
Too bad it was released so early in the year; it will certainly be ignored at awards time. There were also some lukewarm reviews, which I don't understand.
The acting is, without exception, excellent. Freddie... more info
The books were much, much better!:
Maybe that's usually the case, but it's definitely true here. My husband hadn't read the books and he said he thought the movie was pretty good. I replied, "It's amazing how you can take the characters and major plot point but change everything else!" For me the real charm of the books was in all the little details that were changed or removed for the movie. I guess I'm spoiled after the excellent adaptations of the Harry Potter books and the Lord of the Rings. Oh well. At least if it isn't very good, it's... more info
Similar Products:
10,000 B.C. from Warner Home Video (DVD) - Usually ships in 24 hours
